Chronicles Of The Sassy Fork

It was a telemarketing sms that informed me of the Mast Mejwani Mahrashtra Khadya Mahotsav....the one time I was pleased to receive one.Was held at Ravindra Natya Mandir at Prabhadevi organised by the Maharashtra Govt and the Pu La Deshpande Academy.Pu La Deshpande is an author well known for his books based on wit and humour.Wish someone would translate his books into English. The programme is from 22nd Feb 2012 till 28th Feb 2012.It has an exhibition on Vilas Karandikar's Bhatukli and stalls with veg and nonveg food....each in separate areas.Based on various culinary regions of Maharashtra, the stalls are called Pune,Amravati,Aurangabad,Kolhapur and Konkan. The highlight of the food stalls for me was the Hurdyachi Thalipeeth.Hurda is a type of gram that is picked from fields and cooked there and then.People attend Hurda parties in winter.This Thalipeeth was softer than those I had eaten and was cooked on tava and not fried.It was served with Theecha made of green chillies and g...

At the Maharashtrian Food Festival organised by the Pu La Deshpande Academy and the Maharashtra Govt was a unique exhibition called "Aajichi Bhatukli" Aaji meaning grandmother and Bhatukli meaning a miniature collection of kitchen and household items".As children,my cousin Supriya and I would play house with her stainless steel set.Years ago, she got married and moved to the US.The Bhaatukli is now with her there On display at the Ravindra Natya Mandir at Prabhadevi,Mumbai was a metal drum used to store water,with taps to fill buckets to use for bathing.No continous running water then as is still the case in some urban cities Metal items for pooja reminded me of Supriya's stainless steel flower basket which she used to collect fragrant and colourful Hibsicus and Parijat flowers from the garden to offer God. Stoneware reminded me of the rather expensive versions in the market today.If only we had continued those! Tamba or Brass ...